The Rooftops of Florence
by Hypnos Nyx
Summary: There should be more to a friendship than Codex pages and new weapons. Ezio/Leonardo.
1. Chapter 1

_AN: It's my first fanfiction ever, so please, feel free to point out any mistakes! Also, I'm desperately looking for a beta._

_The main pairing is Ezio Auditore/Leonardo da Vinci. Don't like? Don't read._

_There will be some unresolved sexual tension._

_UPDATE 7/11 - I felt like the ending was too rushed, so I changed it. And thanks for spotting the two mistakes, MellaTheKnightmare!_

_All rights belong to their respective owners._

* * *

"Do I really need to pose with this dreadful being?" whined Ezio, eyeing the giant bird suspiciously. The parrot, currently perched on Ezio's extended arm, stared right back and made a bird noise.

"I just have to get the angle right, try not to anger it..." came a reply from behind the canvas.

The staring contest continued for another minute or two, until a relieved "Done!" was heard and Ezio shooed the damn thing away. It flew out the open window, and good riddance. Who knew these tiny claws could scratch so much?

"Leonardo, I do believe your florins just flew out the window. Should I catch them?"

A pair of blue eyes and a bush of blonde hair peeked from above the canvas.

"It's quite alright, Ezio, I intended to let it go anyway. I think we're about done, but if you could take a step to the left..."

His model groaned, but took a step to the left, just as told. As soon as the rough sketch was done, Ezio shifted closer to Leonardo with an anxious look in his eyes.

"Let's visit the rooftop."

And so they did. The sun was setting, dying the world in warm colors (Leonardo probably had artistic names for each and every one of them) and giving away the last of its warmth. And in this one moment, while Leonardo was gazing in the distance, Ezio made a funny face as he realized something.

There should be more to a friendship than Codex pages and new weapons.

"Say, Leonardo, would you like to come and dine with me?"

That could've been better, but it was a good enough start, although Leonardo suddenly looked flustered.

"It's an excellent idea, but I'm afraid that I don't have anything to your liking. If you could just give me a moment to fetch some supplies..."

Ezio silenced him with a raised hand.

"My idea, my treat. Well then, shall we?"

Leonardo just smiled and pulled himself up.

* * *

It was strange to hear Leonardo shout.

"You have WHAT?"

Wine spilled from a knocked over glass, but no one noticed.

"Eagle Vision. I have just explained, didn't you..."

"Of course I did, that's why I'm surprised! Can I see your eyes?"

Leonardo seemed even more enthusiastic than ever. Ezio just shrugged and tucked his hair back. He just hoped Leonardo wouldn't take his eyes out to conduct an experiment.

What he didn't expect was their faces so close to each other, their breaths mixing together and Leonardo's blue eyes staring into his own with such an overhelming intensity. It was a strange moment of intimacy, and when Leonardo finally pulled back, the assassin was left with a warm feeling in his stomach, which he quickly washed down with more wine, and they continued to dine as if nothing happened.

At least, Leonardo did.


	2. Chapter 2

_Many thanks to my lovely beta, MellaTheKnightmare!_

_All rights belong to their respective owners._

* * *

Their daily lives continued, as if nothing happened. Until Venice, that is.

"Sembra come una donna per me. Sounds like my kind of lady."

Ezio cursed himself in his head as soon as he saw Leonardo's expression. For some reason, bringing up the subject of women (mostly by the womanizer assassin) made Leonardo look very disappointed. Perhaps it was shyness, Ezio thought, since he never saw his friend with a lady... privately, at least. The women Leonardo painted enjoyed his company, but they never seemed even slightly disturbed by another person's presence when Ezio suddenly arrived. The journey continued with Ezio being awkward and uncomfortable, even though Leonardo was cheerful as usual in no time.

After the short tour of Venice, they finally reached Leonardo's workshop. With a heavy heart, Ezio declined Leonardo's invitation, since he needed to hurry. Perhaps later, he promised solemnly to himself.

"My door is always open." said Leonardo as he held his arms out to Ezio, waiting for the assassin's reaction.

Something made Ezio hold back from hugging Leonardo for a second, but when he finally did, there was this warm feeling again and the urge not to let go. It was not sexual attraction that he felt, but tranquillity, a calm feeling that was triggered by physical touch, even though it lasted for just a second. There was a lingering scent of salt in Leonardo's hair, and then a sudden rush of heat and the quickened heartbeats when their faces almost touched. Before he pulled back, Ezio squeezed Leonardo's arm reassuringly and felt him smile against his shoulder in response.

He didn't fully understand what just happened, of course, but it affected him nonetheless.

Then his assassin duties called, and Leonardo was once again just a friend, who could decipher Codex pages and make new weapons.

And if there was something more than that, Ezio didn't dare to think about it.


	3. Chapter 3

_Minecraft Guardiansaiyan - Sophia will appear there, that's for sure._

_Thanks for helping me with this one, MellaTheKnightmare! You're the best ;)_

_All rights belong to their respective owners._

* * *

Leonardo looked at his dearest friend with a worried expression. The young assassin had been restless ever since he came back to Monteriggioni from Rome, even though no one questioned him about what influenced his final decision.

"Ezio, you have settled your scores with Rodrigo Borgia, have you not? Your family is avenged, so shouldn't your heart be at peace?"

Ezio lifted his head up, uncrossing his arms and stepping away from the wall he was leaning on and after a moment of hesitation, he started talking so quietly that only the two of them heard his words.

"I fear that I might have failed as an assassin. The person who murdered my family, and so many other people before and after them, was at my mercy... But I let him go. I've thought it was a right thing to do, but now I understand that it was a moment of weakness, unfortunately at the most inconvenient hour. I'm not... disciplined enough in my duties."

His voice was so timid that he barely sounded like himself. That made Leonardo shiver and thoughtlessly, he came up to Ezio, took hold of the man's chin and adjusted them face to face.

"Your choices don't make you any less a man than you are, Ezio, none of them! So don't think that avoiding more bloodshed decreased your value."

The artist pulled back quickly, suddenly ashamed of invading his friend's personal space without consent. Perhaps he was the only one to feel that way, because Ezio showed the hidden blades to him, their newly sharpened edges glistening dangerously, and said with a slightly nostalgic voice.

"I found myself wishing to carry on my father's legacy. He had left his possessions for me, and I will keep them even after they're useless, because they're his last gift, and I will treat them like they were a piece of my father himself."

Leonardo understood the importance of this confession, that's why he held back his words, even though he wanted to ask "Didn't I make the second blade for you? Do you keep it like a piece of me as well?" but instead just patted Ezio on the back awkwardly and turned to his canvas.

"Then you should do as your heart decides, by all means. Who am I to cut the wings of an eagle?"

Maybe his tone was a bit too bitter, because Ezio suddenly grasped Leonardo's hands tightly and looked into his eyes with a serious expression.

"You can't even imagine who you are to me, my dearest... friend"

Leonardo felt his mouth go dry, but forced himself into replying hoarsely.

"Imagination is one of the things I pride myself on, Ezio."

There was this sudden spike of heat again, and when Ezio intertwined their fingers, Leonardo allowed himself to hope for a second. Ezio's hands were rough from fighting and their foreheads almost touched, their faces being so close that Leonardo saw the stubble on the assassin's face, just like that one time before...

But then Ezio shook their hands firmly, smiled and retreated, leaving the artist with a cold emptiness where his heart should be.

If that's all Ezio wanted, then so be it.


End file.
